davis_square | Moving with Small Pets

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Moving with Small Pets

I'm currently looking for a one bedroom apartment in the Somerville/Medford area, and my price range is on the very low end ($1400 or under) so I am aware my options are limited. One problem I'm running into is that most of the apartments in my price range are listed through brokers as "no pets allowed", and I have two guinea pigs. I've never run into problems negotiating this with landlords in other cities, regardless of what the lease originally said. I've offered to get pet-specific references from my past landlords and pay a pet deposit, but the broker I've been corresponding with has just flat out not acknowledged my proposals and has limited me to the one (very undesirable) pet friendly apartment available. I'm not sure how to address this going forward, as I've only ever rented directly from the owner.

Do any of you have experience or advice for renting while having small pets? What strategies have worked or not worked? How should I approach brokers? Should I try to downplay it until I'm closer to signing the lease?* Am I really, truly limited to apartments that say "pet friendly"? It seems hard to believe that every single landlord would categorize caged pets in exactly the same manner as a dog or cat, but maybe I've just gotten used to the much less competitive housing market in Vermont.

*Please don't suggest lying and signing a lease without telling the landlord! Among many other reasons, it opens up the possibility of being forced to surrender my pets if found out, and it's unlikely I'd be able to find them a better home. Giving up pets for non-emergency reasons is kind of a hot topic for me, so let's avoid it.

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Do you have an attachment to this particular broker? You may be experiencing an idiosyncrasy of one not very good broker.

Not at all - I'm almost certainly going to try someone else, but I wanted to get some input from people who are more familiar with brokers generally before diving in again, in case I did something wrong!

Edited 2014-03-08 00:29 (UTC)

I've had no problems finding cheap apartments that are OK with cats--in my case, three cats. I have a hard time believing your broker can't find an apt that will take small critters. Some brokers only work with one management company, but don't tell you that.

That's really good to hear! Right now there are a very finite number of listings that look good, but I haven't been looking for very long (up until the other day I was hoping to split a 3 bedroom). I emailed the broker again about discussing my needs in detail, but I have yet to hear back. Maybe he is actually talking to the landlords after all? I'm not sure what to expect as far as the whole process goes. I'll email some other brokers and hopefully they will have more options.

Definitely work with more than one broker. Some are real duds. You don't want to waste time on someone who's not working hard for you. In my experience, brokers can be just as flaky to work with as potential Craigslist roommates (if you've ever been through that process, you know what I mean).

Good luck!

I had no issues at all finding a 1 bedroom for me and 3 cats for less than that in a more expensive neighborhood. I think your realtor is a nitwit.

also, I would open by saying you don't have any cats or dogs (since that's the main thing landlords are excluding), then mention you have a small critter that lives in a cage.

Awesome! I'm actually have a lot more luck finding things now that I've widened my search and started contacting other, more approachable realtors. I can't believe how quickly they reply on a Friday night!

Up until recently I was looking for three bedrooms with the intention of sharing, and so my ideas of where I want to live were based on where I had been finding the nicest 3-bed options. But my paramaters have changed so much that it was perhaps silly to be focusing my search in the same areas.

I'm looking at a super promising pet-friendly apartment this afternoon, and possibly scheduling some more viewings later this week. I'm really excited about this first one, though.

I have no experience with brokers, but as a landlord, small caged pets aren't a problem for me. I worry about stuff like doors gouged by anxious dogs or tomcat urine permanently embedded in the floorboards. Two guinea pigs aren't even on my radar, much less something I would charge a pet deposit for.

My advice would be to switch brokers, and don't mention the piggies at all to your new broker. Just ask the landlord directly when you talk to them in person, and if you want to be extra on the safe side, ask nicely if they'd be willing to put a line in the lease about the guinea pigs being okay. If you do this and get a ton of landlords who are horrified by your guinea pigs, then yeah, at that point I would be up front with the broker as well, to avoid wasting more time... but I'd be really surprised if that happened.

Good luck!

Thanks, this is really helpful! Your approach is much more what I am used to. I dug a little deeper and expanded my search area, and I'm starting to get some promising results and replies, so I'm feeling optimistic again. I was just so thrown off by the first broker, I started to think there might be some big difference in pet-related social norms between the farm-friendly Vermont town I moved from and here.

How do landlords typically feel about aquariums? I have a turtle that's currently in foster care (since my current landlord is strictly "no pets", believing "fish can lead to turtles can lead to snakes can lead to barracudas" or something)... I'm planning to take my turtle back when I move, but it previously never occurred to me that "no pets" would include something contained like aquatic life, and I'm wondering if I should prepare for a difficult apartment search.

I also vote dumping the broker.

I also vote dumping this broker. When I was looking for apartments, I've always been fully honest about my guinea pigs and 99% of landlords don't care! :) Haha, I went to see an apartment building once and had to disclose about the guinea pigs and the lady looked at us, "Um.. they don't really count to us." Heyyy, they totally count!

Anyhow, good luck on your move and hurray guinea pigs. <3

Great to hear, thanks!

I also agree that this is peculiar. I have two caged birds and my landlords couldn't care less!

my wife's birds, in 4 years, have done more house damage than all my cats and dogs combined :)

Yikes! Are they parrots, by any chance? I hear those are high maintenance pets.

Cockatiels, which are in the parrot family and basically have the personality (and rational decision making process) of a human toddler. I kinda knew going in that my wife will never not have them in her life so I am not allowed to complain (too much anyhow) :)

LJ ate my comment so my apologies if I forget anything. Is it just the broker who's saying no? Brokers can be...eh, but maybe if you talk directly to the landlords in question, one or a few would be willing to write up a contract. In this area, such practices are not entirely unlikely, btw. I once convinced an originally-anti-pet landlord to allow 3 cats with a contract. And I absolutely get wanting to be upfront about it...rehoming is a hot button for me too.

Signed,
domesticated rat guardian and animal lover overall

PS, if I'm not mistaken you're fairly new to the area? I highly recommend Big Fish Little Fish on Elm near Porter for small animal supplies. They do sell small animals, reptiles, and birds...but the owner and sole employee treats them very well and acquires them from local ethical breeders. He was super helpful when I first adopted my rats (my first non-aquatic pets of my own responsibility, childhood family pets and roommates' pets aside). These days he's still helpful with choosing food and supplies and giving advice on home remedies for illness and injury. He's saved me a lot on vet bills in non-emergency situations. For vets though, Porter Square Vet is actually in Davis (not Porter), and has a wonderful small pet specialist who is good for routine care and neutering. For emergencies, surgery, and other specialty care, there is Angell...which has pretty much everything including things like massage and acupuncture. You're probably familiar anyway but in case not, it's a full-service animal hospital. Samson, my current rat Midnight's late brother, had a bunch of special needs so I took him to Angell for everything. I can't speak highly enough of their treatment of Samson and I...they even sent me a lovely sympathy card with personalized notes from all staff (including admin) when he passed.

I'm not sure who was saying no, the broker was just moving on without addressing my questions. I've contacted brokers about some other listings, though, and I'm getting much friendlier responses, and finding more options in my price range by just widening my search area. I'm actually going to view a very promising pet-friendly apartment this afternoon, so I may be able to avoid the issue entirely. *fingers crossed*

Yes, I've only been living in the area since July, although I grew up in the Boston suburbs. I adopted these two piggies from the Nevin's Farm branch of Angell. I adopted a hamster from them years ago, too! Your advice is actually super helpful, because I am selling my car soon and need to find a new pet supply store that's closer. Do they carry Oxbow food? And the vet advice is really welcome. I think it's time to take my older girl to the vet - her skin has become very dry in the last couple of months.

Awesome, good luck!

No, unfortunately they do not carry Oxbow. I believe the local Petco does, though (across the street from Best Buy at the Cambridgeside Galleria in the Lechmere neighborhood, East Cambridge).

I didn't adopt my rats at Angell (from a breeder), but I hear great things about their adoption services including Nevin's Farm as well. Glad to hear it worked out for you and your piggies. :) something to keep in mind for future, when Midnight is ready for a new cagemate

For what it is worth, IIRC, pet deposits aren't legal in MA. If they are requiring a security deposit of less than one month's rent, they could increase it to the month limit, but that's it. You could, probably, offer to set up an escrow account on your own, but that's a you thing, not a landlord thing.

I'd find another agent. There are plenty of them, and plenty of agencies. Get one that will respond to you, at least.

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